When her mother first found out that Baekhee was planning a summer trip to Brazil, she looked at her 22-year-old daughter, let out a sigh while cradling her cup of tea, and said, “Where has the time gone?”

“Mother, you’re being dramatic again. I’ll only be gone for a month or so.” Her mom nodded and the two shared a smile.

The fact that she was going to be boarding a plane from Incheon to Sao Paulo didn’t hit her until the night before her flight date. Baekhee was finishing up her packing when she got an email message from her friend, Luhan. She read the email excitedly as it consisted of details of where Luhan would pick her up when she arrived at the Guarulhos International Airport, along with a long list of places that Luhan wanted to take her to. Baekhee laughed to herself when she saw that Luhan had attached a chart of the World Cup group stage matches in the email.

-

Luhan is originally from Beijing but moved to Seoul to study at Yonsei University. This is where Baekhee gets to know Luhan (she being a third year when Baekhee enters Yonsei as a first year) through a music club on campus. Luhan then decided to study business and economics in Brazil during her senior year. She technically already graduated but she didn’t get to walk with her class because she wanted to stay in Brazil for the World Cup. Baekhee always questioned her friend’s decisions but as they’ve kept in contact for the past couple of years, Baekhee can only see that Luhan’s path is something she is really sure about and she can only be happy for her friend.

It’s her first time traveling out of the country. If anyone was going to leave the country, especially to travel to a hot, humid country like Brazil, Baekhee would be the last person on that list within her group of friends.

“You’re going where?!” the voice on the other end shouts in surprise.

Baekhee sighs and fights the urge to roll her eyes. “I’m going to Brazil, Chanyeol. I’m pretty sure I told you this a while ago. You probably just forgot, again.” Baekhee mutters the last part, taking the phone away from for a second.

“Oh, when are you leaving again?” Chanyeol calms down.

“Tomorrow morning.” Baekhee answers tersely. There’s a very small part of her that wants Chanyeol to tell her to miss her flight, to stay at home. She hears Chanyeol exhale from his nose.

“Okay, well, be safe and have fun then.” Baekhee doesn’t say anything. They both end the call after that and Baekhee only realizes that Chanyeol never asked her when she was coming back until a flight attendant is tapping her to wake up because they are landing soon. She wipes a stray tear from her left eye, leftover from a dream or maybe from stifling a yawn.

Baekhee left Seoul with an anxious mind and arrives in Sao Paulo with a hopeful heart.

-

“Byunbaek!”

Baekhee spots a familiar face in the crowd. A brown-haired girl with a forever-baby face jumping and waving a sign that says ‘Baek Hee’ in childish Hangul. Baekhee would wave back but she’s dragging two suitcases behind her so she just settles with smiling back. Luhan comes forward to meet her, throwing her arms around Baekhee and squealing in glee. Luhan then holds Baekhee at arms width to look at her.

“You haven’t changed a bit, Baek.” Luhan grins at her friend. Baekhee would say the same to Luhan but she’s honestly haven’t seen her in a long time, so the Luhan in front of her is very different from the Luhan she remembers. Luhan has dyed her hair to a chestnut brown and the length hits just below her shoulders. She’s sporting a nice tan compared to Baekhee’s skin. Baekhee hopes to add some color to her arms and legs while she’s here in Brazil. Luhan grabs one of Baekhee’s suitcases easily. “Come on, Minseok’s waiting out at the curb.”

Minseok, a fellow South Korean, turns out to be Luhan’s boyfriend of almost four months now. The entire car ride from the airport to Luhan’s apartment Luhan indulges Baekhee with the entire story of how they met and eventually became a couple. Minseok was a business major (like Luhan) studying abroad in Brazil. They had similar classes, she saw him playing football at the park near her place, he asked her to get some coffee, “...and the rest is history!” Luhan ends her story with a cliche but her laugh is genuine. Luhan has told her about Minseok sparsely in their emails but Baekhee couldn’t imagine how infatuated the girl really was with the guy, until she heard her friend tell her story. Minseok just smiles and Baekhee watches how easily he lets Luhan tangle her fingers between his in a sweet handhold.

Baekhee misses that feeling sometimes.

-

Luhan lives in the apartment complexes that are apart of the University of Sao Paulo’s student housing. She has a one bedroom place all to herself